ResearchMeta-analysisEvidence: Large study or reviewAges 0–18
Spanking and child outcomes: Old controversies and new meta-analyses
Author or publisher Gershoff & Grogan-Kaylor, Journal of Family Psychology Published 2016 Reviewed by Edustack editors Last checked 13 Nov 2026
1What the study found
Meta-analyses of 75 studies found spanking was linked to a range of poor outcomes for children and was not linked to better behaviour.
2Source and checks
https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0000191 Gershoff & Grogan-Kaylor, Journal of Family Psychology. Spanking and child outcomes: Old controversies and new meta-analyses. 2016. doi:10.1037/fam0000191 Link working · 13 Nov 2026 · checked automatically every month